Preparation is in full swing to corporization and possible privatization of the flagship of Belarusian national economy – the Republic's Unitary Enterprise (RUE) "Belaruskali" Production Association (PA). Last week the parliament excluded the Association from the list of enterprises owned exclusively by the state. The Independent Trade Union of Miners (NPG) has addressed the employer with an offer to take into account the interests of the workers of the enterprise at corporization.

Ivan Perminov, Chairman of the NPG, told the website www.praca-by.info, that an NPG representative is working in the commission on corporization of "Belaruskali".

The union leader said that the NPG had submitted a number of proposals to the employer aimed at defending the interests of the workers of the enterprise.

In particular, the NPG offers to initiate a governmental decision enabling the workers of "Belaruskali" to take part in corporization of their enterprise and invest their own money.

While moving this proposal, the trade union refers to Edict of the President No. 3 of March 20, 1998, according to which transformation of state-owned enterprises into Open Joint-Stock Companies (OJSCs) shall take place on the basis of labour collectives' offers, and sale of shares of an OJSC to the members of labour collective and equated persons shall be made at a 20-percent discount against the face value.

Besides, the NPG believes that the enterprise should organize a conference, where all the interested individuals and legal entities could speak out and present their offers.

In the opinion of the trade union, the corporization process should pass openly, all the problematic and unclear issues should be discussed at meetings of workers with employer's representatives. This is a possible way, as the NPG believes, to avoid social tension at the enterprise.

The trade union has offered the employer to discuss a possibility for participation in corporization of former workers, registered by the Board of Nonworking Pensioners and Labour Invalids, since they had taken part in creating the wealth of "Belaruskali" and dedicated a part of their labour life, and frequently their health, to the enterprise.

The NPG insists that corporization should take into account the former workers' shares, which were later transformed into borrowed funds and then – abolished whatsoever.

According to Mr Perminov, so far the employer gave no answer to the trade union's proposals.

At the same time, it can be easily predicted that the trade union will face difficulties in defending the interests of "Belaruskali" workers. The practice shows that owners try to avoid in every possible way appearance of minority shareholders.

Let us remind you that on June 10 Natalia Zhernosek, Director of the State Property Fund, said, while answering journalists' questions at the House of Representatives, that the appraisal of "Belaruskali" assets was over. She failed to name the sum, but noted that it would be published later. The value of the fixed capital of "Belaruskali" is very big, "we never had such authorised capital yet," Ms Zhernosek said.

On that very day, the House of Representatives passed in the second reading the bill "On Objects Exclusively Owned by the State and Activities under Exclusive Right of the State". The document excludes extraction of potash fertilizers from the list of such activities.

Thus, as Ms Zhernosek has reported, enactment of the above law will allow transforming the PA "Belaruskali" into an open joint-stock company with its further possible privatization.

The bill will be considered by the Council of the Republic on June 30 this year. Then, it will be submitted for signing to the President of Belarus.